Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-01-27

IL you will give me seventy-five thousand
dollars now will drop Miss Alwyn alto
gether, and SO manage matters that in a
very short time she will be only too glad 10
forget her music and accept your offer of
marriage. Come, Mr.. Cameron, the sum
have mentioned is q mere bagatelle TO you"
Now Richard Cameron was, decidedly,
very muchi in love; still. he was not so entire
ly lost to things terrestrial but that he knew
full well that this was q most unique and
extraordinary offer.
He certainly wanted Alta Alwyn for his
wife, and to attain that end would gladly
expend twice seventy five thousand dollars.
But were Rivera's proposals honorable,
were they worthy his consideration? Any
way, how could Rivera guarantee to bring
his plans 10 a successful issue, and should
q man who would break q contract with a
woman be trusted i'll any degree? All
thfongh Cameron 1i Drai1. H4s 80. s-.Ns.ss''
"Well, Mr.. Cameron2" urged the signor.
"I do not quite see through your scheme,
signor, said the young man.
II will be frank with you," resumed
Rivera. at is clearly understood between
us that 1 want cash and you want the
lady. II my proposition is accepted, well;
if not, we'll. Only, no riding the high
horse-no strong expressions OF indigna-
tion-nothing of that kind, please, or
stop right here"
"Go on" said Cameron, rs the Italian
paused for q moment.
IL hatter myself that have made Alta
Alwyn as an artist; also, that understand
her nature thoroughly. As l have made
her professional reputation, so / can un-
make it-I can blast it, II l know any
thing of my pupil, she will not be able to
take failure and disappointment very well.
When it comes she will turn to you, and
not until then. If necessary / will try
something more. l will damage her pri-
vate reputation; 1 will kill her socially; l
will"
"Stop!" exclaimed Cameron. II do not
wish to hear any more. But 1 must have
that girl. Twill give you seventy-no, l
will give you eighty thousand dollars now,
for present, to help you out of your diff
culties-a present, you understand, without
regard TO Miss Alwyn-I cannot make
money bargains on her account Oiue you
this as present. OF course, if you can
help me in any way, do SO. But be care
full. Call tomorrow, and you can have
the money"
When the manager had gone, Cameron
tried to soothe his conscience. But think
as he would, try TO persuade himself as he
IO COulu uOL uTlV6 lTOm
the knowledge that he had agreed to pay
money 10 an INSCRIPTIONS man for the
purpose OF destroying woman's fame,
and, perchance, her good name.
Right we'll Rivera succeeded in his plans.
With a flush bank account he grew reck-
less, and his professional duties and obli-
cations we're thrown to the winds. This
alone was sufficient to seriously hurt his
protegee. But he did not stop ut that.
| He used every means his cunning mind
could desire 10 blast Alta Alwyn's reputa-
ton, and, three months after the young
singer Lad maze her triumphal debut, her
| fame as an artist was killed. Not only 80,
but many were the cruel stories, dropped
| from careless lirs, in regard to her private
life; and, tough utterly untrue, they hurt
her none the less.
As Rivera had foretold, Alta Alwyn could
| i'll brook disappointment. She had no near
| friends, and while her heart had held
naught but ambition she had not felt their
need. Now she yearned for some one in
whom she could confide, and the only one
of whom she thought was Dick Cameron.
Yet, when Dick Cameron came to her in
her loneliness and once more offered his
| hand, she refused him. Not that she had
the faintest suspicion of Cameron's part
in Riveras plot against herself or, indeed,
of the plot itself. For she had felt so
sorry for Rivera at the loss he must neces-
sarily las she supposedly suffer on account
of her failure, that she pressed upon him
the greater part of her own share Of the
profits of her brief season. No; If she had
twice refused Dick Cameron's love, she
had always trusted and respected him, and
could never lave associated his name with
a mean action. But sle was proud, and
having, in the heyday of her triumph, re-
| fused his love, she felt IL would be utterly
impossible for her, with any degree Of self
respect, TO take that love when all else
failed. So yet aga n Richard Cameron
was disappointed. Sick at heart and some
what ashamed Of himself, he left New
York and took up his residence in the gay
French capital.
And when the girl who had once said that
she had no heart, the girl who had so lately
known nothing but ambition, who had
cared for naught but success in her chosen
profession--w when this same girl realized
that the ocean lay between herself and
Dick Cameron, she knew then, when IL
was too late, that she loved him. II was
only the repetition Of an old story: